Cougars Set Home Run Program Record

Friday, March 20

Ames, Iowa

4 PM

University of Houston

17-15, 1-6

Iowa State

17-10, 1-3

Houston

Iowa State

3/20/2026 6:58:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

Houston cracks 50th home run of the season; becomes eighth team and fastest in program history to achieve feat in loss to Iowa State

AMES, Iowa – Despite becoming the fastest team in program history to reach 50 home runs in a season, the University of Houston Softball team fell in its Big 12 road series opener, 9-1, against Iowa State at the Cyclone Sports Complex on Friday.

The Cougars (17-15, 1-6 Big 12) and Cyclones (17-10, 1-3 Big 12) engaged in a pitcher's duel through the first two frames before Iowa State let the bats loose to extend the lead in the fifth and sixth innings, posting seven runs to take the decision via run-rule walk off.

PLAYER HIGHLIGHTS

Makenna Mitchell: 1-3, HR, RBI, R
Mandy Esman: 2-2, 2B
Savanna Luther: 1-2, BB
Madox Mitchael: 1-3

NOTABLES

With a solo shot to deep center by junior Makenna Mitchell, the Cougars tallied their 50^th home run of the season, becoming only the eighth team in program history to do so while also becoming the fastest team to achieve the feat (32 games) since the 2011 campaign (43 games).
Mitchell's solo shot in the fourth inning marked her 13^th homer of the season, tying her fellow teammate in sophomore Maddie Hartley for the team-lead in home runs.
Senior Mandy Esman tallied two hits on the day, marking her 24^th career multi-hit outing while totaling 98 career hits, sitting just two shy of the century mark.
Sophomore Madox Mitchael continued her recent form at the plate, notching a hit on the day to now tally 12 hits in her last eight games.
Sophomore Savanna Luther made her third start of the season behind the plate, hitting fifth in the lineup while tallying a hit on the day to mark her fourth in the last four games.

KEY INNINGS
4^th | Trailing 2-0 after three frames, Mitchell led off the top of the fourth with a solo shot to deep center, marking her 13^thhomer of the season to cut the deficit to 2-1.

UP NEXT
Houston will play game two against Iowa State with first pitch set for 1 p.m., Saturday. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.

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